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Archive for the ‘Botswana’ Category

On the last Friday of 2007, I – together with my nine friends – decided on continuing with our ritual of celebrating New Year in another African country. This time we decided to visit Victoria Falls. Due to reported unavailability of fuel in Zimbabwe, we thought of – instead of using the direct route – driving the two cars through Botswana.

We rushed through Rustenburg, Zeerust and got to the Skilpadshek border gate which – thank goodness – had extended its operating hours until midnight because of the festive season.

We got to Botswana’s capital City – Gaborone – just before midnight and drove throughout the night to Francistown. We left Botswana’s second largest town at sunrise on our way to Kazungula border which was still more than 500 kilometres away. About forty kilometres outside a non-descript town called Nata, we hit a massive pothole which led to – due to the bending of the rims – the puncture of both front and rear left tyres. Another car had to go back to Nata where we were helped by a young man operating on the side of the road. He basically, using an old hammer, hit and straightened both rims. Unfortunately one rim cracked and that meant we were not going to have a spare tyre. Although we had been delayed for more than three hours, we were all in great spirits again as we continued – albeit slowly – heading to Kazungula. Now and then we stopped and let the elephants – at their own pace – cross the road. Only in Africa, I know.(more…)